Security concerns haunt annual Jakarta Fair

Security concerns haunt annual Jakarta Fair

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

International trade fairs and exhibitions to be hosted by the
Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, are likely to
see less participants and exhibitors due to heightening political
tensions prior to the general elections.

The new owner of the fairground, tycoon Siti Hartati Murdaya,
said on Monday that foreign participants would be highly affected
by security concerns.

She did not provide details on the number of foreign
participants the venue welcomed annually.

The Fairground comprises office buildings on a 251,000-square-
meter plot and has hosted the annual Jakarta Fair since the
1990s. Prior to then, it was held around the National Monument
(Monas) in Medan Merdeka Square.

Hartati asserted that her company would improve the Fairground
management.

"We are in the process of recruiting professional event
organizers to promote exhibitions and trade fairs that will
attract more foreign participants," she said, adding that the
management would also renovate several rooms and construct extra
halls in the Fairground buildings to lure more visitors.

Hartati said the management had already appointed PT Adi
Parking to operate the Fairground parking lot.

"In the past, parking also fell under the management's
responsibility. We plan to leave the parking management to a
professional company, but we'll try to keep the fee low," she
said, as many visitors to the Fairground were from the lower
income bracket.